I have an announcement to make. There is a new record for how early I woke up. This morning, 5:30 was the alarm time. Due to the inordinate amount of homework that my teachers have assigned me (I know I have been talking about that a lot, just deal with it), I didn't finish my homework last night even though I must have worked on it for 4 hours. So, I woke up earlier so that I could at least finish my Chinese homework. I am counting on my weekend so that I will be able to catch up on my homework, and maybe not work nearly as hard this week. But I am getting ahead of myself.
After grudgingly turning my phone alarm off at 5:30, I drug myself out of bed and over 3 steps to my desk, and dutifully wrote out 6 more characters (although I had to write each one about 20 times, and in my half asleep state, it took me the 1/2 hour I allotted myself for homework before I had to get ready for school.) I was out the door and at school by 6:30, again. Really, I have to stop doing that. It is bad for my health, and my wrinkles. This time though, I wasn't the first one to school. My friend Robbin had beaten me to the punch, and we studied together until about 7:15, when I retired to a more quiet room for study (ie my Chinese classroom.)
It is great to start every day off with 2 hours of Chinese every morning, although I usually get tired of it about half way through the second class. Today was no different. At least of each class consistes of small fits of giggles, caused by something someone in our class said. Even the teachers get into it, and time passes relatively quickly. (As a small note, we were talking about what each person likes to do on their birthday in class today. One guy, James, said that on his birthday, he likes to eat a lot of his friends. What he meant to say was, he likes to eat a lot with his friends. Nevertheless, I immediately pointed out that we were not friends. Personal safety, you know?)
After Chinese I had a short meeting with my advisor, assuring her that I am not on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and that my life is in fact in some sort of order. My advisor also happens to be the History teacher, which is kind of nice. Her classes are pretty interesting, and I love the discussions we have in them. She seemed satisfied with my answers, told me how proud she was of me (yeah, yeah, yeah) and then I was dismissed to go mingle. (I did manage to get in a lot of points about how I had a ton of homework, aka stop assigning homework I can't do, crazy lady!)
Anyways, right after break I had an hour of Calculus, during which my teacher with a big ego, Mr. Pettus (seriously, he is convinced he is never wrong. That is going to bite him in the ass one day, I know it) taught us bits and pieces of Calculus problems. So far, I understand everything, but that is only a fluke, I'm pretty sure. Everyone knows I am not exactly a math genius. History was right after Chinese, and after discussing the topic of universal human rights (on which I have a paper due Tuesday, by the way) the entire SYA hiked off to get lunch. However, by the time we reached the bottom of the stairs, we made an unhappy discovery. It was raining, and raining with a vengeance. A quick dash to the cafeteria proved not quick enough, as I still arrived slightly soaked.
After lunch, many of us jump ropers convinced SAC (Student Activities Coordinator, more commonly known as Li 老师 - teacher - who also happens to be rather good looking) to let us play jump rope, even though the ground was as slippery as something that is really slippery. We all jumped better than we normally do, probably because we were so much more aware of how easy it would be to trip, fall, and show your brains to the world. Needless to say, we jumped a little higher today, and were much more careful of our feet. The actual competition is on Sunday. SYA has always come in last, so there are not high expectations for us.
After lunch was English, and then study, during which I sat with some friends (Chris and Chang) while Chris played Chinese music off his MacBook (some of which included Jackie Chan and Communist party propaganda. It was great.) Even though I had an off period, I dutifully waited for friends who were in class (and wanted to do things after school) like the good friend that I am. Three of us (me, Robbin and Hannah - I actually don't talk to Hannah nearly enouh after rooming with her on the first night, so it was nice to talk to her again) walked until we found a small restaurant, and sat down to try some fine cuisine.
The restaurant we chose, however, turned out to be not so fine. We all only had a couple of bites before coming to the general consensus that the food was crap, and quickly paid the cheque and ran. Due to a miscommunication, we all believed that Robbin had to be home early to go to a show, so Hannah took off for home, and Robbin and I went to retrieve our bikes from the basement (It is so weird. Just about every building has this sketch basement thing were you can park your bikes, and it is safe. There really are no such things as bike racks here. Unlike Davis...)
The afternoon passed rather slowly after I got home, with my talking to friends via Skype and Facebook until dinner time. My mom is actually in America right now (talk about role reversal) and so it has only been my dad, my sister and me at dinner for the past couple of nights. (My dad, as I have mentioned, is a really good cook, and I never starve.) After dinner I was driven over to a supermarket (by my dad) to buy stuff for my school trip tomorrow (he wouldn't let me pay for the food, either). We are going to the Great Wall (长城) as a school. The part we go to isn't the normal tourist destination, and we are going to be walking for 4 hours. By the time we finish, we will be in another province. How cool is that? We also have to bring our own lunch, because we are going to be eating on the Great Wall. Yeah, life's a bitch, but someone has got to do it. I suppose that person will just have to be me.
Now, I am pouting at the fact that my friend got to go to a group of performances celebrating the end of the Olympics, and I was here. And trying to stay awake so I can keep talking and writing. Absolutely no homework got done tonight (which was probably a mistake) but it is Friday night, and after the week I have had, I feel that I deserve a little bit of a break. I think you will agree. Well, I must get my beauty sleep for the long walk ahead, so bon voyage!
It is great to start every day off with 2 hours of Chinese every morning, although I usually get tired of it about half way through the second class. Today was no different. At least of each class consistes of small fits of giggles, caused by something someone in our class said. Even the teachers get into it, and time passes relatively quickly. (As a small note, we were talking about what each person likes to do on their birthday in class today. One guy, James, said that on his birthday, he likes to eat a lot of his friends. What he meant to say was, he likes to eat a lot with his friends. Nevertheless, I immediately pointed out that we were not friends. Personal safety, you know?)
After Chinese I had a short meeting with my advisor, assuring her that I am not on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and that my life is in fact in some sort of order. My advisor also happens to be the History teacher, which is kind of nice. Her classes are pretty interesting, and I love the discussions we have in them. She seemed satisfied with my answers, told me how proud she was of me (yeah, yeah, yeah) and then I was dismissed to go mingle. (I did manage to get in a lot of points about how I had a ton of homework, aka stop assigning homework I can't do, crazy lady!)
Anyways, right after break I had an hour of Calculus, during which my teacher with a big ego, Mr. Pettus (seriously, he is convinced he is never wrong. That is going to bite him in the ass one day, I know it) taught us bits and pieces of Calculus problems. So far, I understand everything, but that is only a fluke, I'm pretty sure. Everyone knows I am not exactly a math genius. History was right after Chinese, and after discussing the topic of universal human rights (on which I have a paper due Tuesday, by the way) the entire SYA hiked off to get lunch. However, by the time we reached the bottom of the stairs, we made an unhappy discovery. It was raining, and raining with a vengeance. A quick dash to the cafeteria proved not quick enough, as I still arrived slightly soaked.
After lunch, many of us jump ropers convinced SAC (Student Activities Coordinator, more commonly known as Li 老师 - teacher - who also happens to be rather good looking) to let us play jump rope, even though the ground was as slippery as something that is really slippery. We all jumped better than we normally do, probably because we were so much more aware of how easy it would be to trip, fall, and show your brains to the world. Needless to say, we jumped a little higher today, and were much more careful of our feet. The actual competition is on Sunday. SYA has always come in last, so there are not high expectations for us.
After lunch was English, and then study, during which I sat with some friends (Chris and Chang) while Chris played Chinese music off his MacBook (some of which included Jackie Chan and Communist party propaganda. It was great.) Even though I had an off period, I dutifully waited for friends who were in class (and wanted to do things after school) like the good friend that I am. Three of us (me, Robbin and Hannah - I actually don't talk to Hannah nearly enouh after rooming with her on the first night, so it was nice to talk to her again) walked until we found a small restaurant, and sat down to try some fine cuisine.
The restaurant we chose, however, turned out to be not so fine. We all only had a couple of bites before coming to the general consensus that the food was crap, and quickly paid the cheque and ran. Due to a miscommunication, we all believed that Robbin had to be home early to go to a show, so Hannah took off for home, and Robbin and I went to retrieve our bikes from the basement (It is so weird. Just about every building has this sketch basement thing were you can park your bikes, and it is safe. There really are no such things as bike racks here. Unlike Davis...)
The afternoon passed rather slowly after I got home, with my talking to friends via Skype and Facebook until dinner time. My mom is actually in America right now (talk about role reversal) and so it has only been my dad, my sister and me at dinner for the past couple of nights. (My dad, as I have mentioned, is a really good cook, and I never starve.) After dinner I was driven over to a supermarket (by my dad) to buy stuff for my school trip tomorrow (he wouldn't let me pay for the food, either). We are going to the Great Wall (长城) as a school. The part we go to isn't the normal tourist destination, and we are going to be walking for 4 hours. By the time we finish, we will be in another province. How cool is that? We also have to bring our own lunch, because we are going to be eating on the Great Wall. Yeah, life's a bitch, but someone has got to do it. I suppose that person will just have to be me.
Now, I am pouting at the fact that my friend got to go to a group of performances celebrating the end of the Olympics, and I was here. And trying to stay awake so I can keep talking and writing. Absolutely no homework got done tonight (which was probably a mistake) but it is Friday night, and after the week I have had, I feel that I deserve a little bit of a break. I think you will agree. Well, I must get my beauty sleep for the long walk ahead, so bon voyage!
1 comment:
still rolling along, I see. can't wait to hear about the great wall..... stay off of facebook!!!! love, mom
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